The photos

Hi Guys,   Thank you for the photos. They look great - Love the little town on the little peninsula!!   The trip seems to be a truly wonderful event for the 2 of you ; the stuff wonderful memories are made of.   And then it's great to see you both safe and happy after such a - at times - strenuous - trip. It's almost enough to make me hunger for the road again myself!   May He Continue to Keep You and Nurture You!   ><(((">

Finally, an update on our travels

Hi All,

 

Huge apologies on not updating our site for so long.  We've finally got some pictures up on the web.

 

Please find out latest posts at:

 

 

Norway
http://hemleynorway.blogspot.com/

 

England

http://hemleyengland.blogspot.com/

 

Italy

http://hemleyitaly.blogspot.com/

 

If reading the blog is too complicated and you just want to look at photo's, then go to:

 

Italy
http://thehemleys.zoto.com/user/cat_summary/CAT.10

Norway
http://thehemleys.zoto.com/user/cat_summary/CAT.12

England
http://thehemleys.zoto.com/user/cat_summary/CAT.13

 

Currently we are in Milan.  A beautiful, neat city.  But oh, the shopping!

 

Tomorrow we fly out to Durban in South Africa, where we both experience our first safari.

 

Love

Rod and Trace

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Very quick update from Italy

Hi there,

 

Please excuse the long delay in emailing and letting you know how things are.  We have been basically survival emailing - basically booking stuff as the cost has got so high at cafes or have not been able to easily USB to get to our notes and pictures to upload.

 

Rod and I are in San Gimignano, a beautiful mediveal fortress village.

 

After Spain we went across to Norway, to spend a lovely time with Karen and Tian, old friends of mine in the mountain.  We then went to Horton, to stay with Tian's lovely brother, Gunnar.  This was fortunate, as I had caught a virus and needed the time to rest and fight it off.

 

From there we went across to London.  It was fun being a tourist in a city I had lived in.  I couldn't believe how much I had missed.  We were able to catch up with old friends of mine and my niece, Sade.  Spending time with Sade was invaluable.  She of course, loved Rod.

 

We went down to Dover, where we visited the castle.  We loved the history of all the wars the castle had been involved in.  Rod has a fascination with castles.  We just enjoyed the time out in a lovely village.

 

Then off to Italy!  Boy is it expensive.  We visited Rome.  I had no idea of the history there and was surprised at the colleseaum.  It's just weird at the age of things.  The sistine chapel was just amazing.  We expected the building to be huge.  One's neck gets really tired.

 

We then spent a week in Florence.  This poor city just has too much art.  One just gets too used to seeing sculpures, frescoes, paintings.  The sculpture of David was a highlight.  It is massive and just beautiful.

 

I (Tracey) was of course wanting to do walks in Italy.  Just didn't realise how hot it gets in the country.  So we planned a walk in the Chianti wine country for one day.  Oh my goodness, vineyards are planted on hills here.  Poor Rod, I was almost crying from overheating and tiredness.  Rod just patiently encouraged me.

 

After about 18km we arrived in Radda (a city on top of a hill!!!) - the price we pay for a view.  We had book an apartment on an elderly couples working farm, just 100m from the village.  It was just lovely.

 

Tomorrow we go off south Tuscany, Castiglion where we have booked a room on a working farm, near the beach.  Basically to get a rest from our holiday.  One gets tired of looking and looking.

 

So we are well.  Having fun.  Learning lots.

Love

Trace and Rod

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Arrival in Spain

Hi All,

 

Please find latest post at

 

www.hemleypilgrim.blogspot.com

 

From

The Hemleys

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Off we go ...

Tuesday, after months of planning, we finally fly out!  It seems like we have been talking about our holiday for AGES!!  I can't believe it is finally happening.

For those who don't know about this holiday - Rod and I are off on our second honeymoon.  We start with pilgrim walking across north Spain (different route to the one I did a few years back).  We then join good friends, Tian and Karen in Norway.  The London limelight for a week, catch up with friends and family.  Then Italy for a month.  Then for Rod to meet relo's and family in Durban and Cape Town.  We end off with a 10 day trip to Zimbabwe to meet up with friend, Rene and Lindsay

Here is a copy of our final itinerary, for those who need to know where we are, dates for arranging visits/pickups (yawhooooooooo) etc.

This weekend is going to be maniac just cleaning out all the cobwebs, sorting stuff out.  Monty is thankfully staying with our dear friends, Sherry & family.  He has a cat-run where he will be safe and sound during the day.  We bid Dirrawan Gardens good-bye.  Our beloved little home, where Rod and I struggle to fit into the kitchen, have our nooks with our pc's, are surrounded by a beautiful overgrown garden, where we peacefully walk to work everyday

With being away so long, we have been so blessed with kindness from friends- Sherry & family as mentioned looking after the Monts
- Mandy our landlady kindly gave us her garage for storage
- Andrew and Alison, our dear neighbours offered storage
- Tash offered her shed for storage
- Kris Sheaths is taking some stuff and offered storage
- Ben and Linda offered their shed for storage
- Karen and Jen helping out with packing this weekend

- The guys Rod has organised to help out with big stuff this weekend
- Trev, then Leigh/Sherry looks after our car
... gosh the list goes on

We spend our last 2 nights with Nicky and John.  Nicky will take us to the airport on Tuesday

It's a happy/sad time.  Time to say good-bye to many dear things to us.  Hello to an amazing adventure!

Our email address on holiday will be: Rod and I: thehemleys@yahoo.com

We have a blog - so please check up on us frequently.  http://www.hemleyhoneymoon.blogspot.com/ - feel free to leave some comments (no rude ones please)

Please look on our blog frequently - although you should get email updates on changes as we are travelling

Please keep us in your prayers
Trace and Rod

Holiday plans

During Rod's drrrry years of being a bachelor, waiting for his damsel to share his life with - he decided, very wisely, I might add you, to save his long service leave for his honeymoon.

Alas, his lovely wife came along, moi! Who just happens to love loooong holidays. Little did Rod know that this young damsel, loves to put on her boots, backpack on her back and loves to walk and walk and walk.

So to all adue, the Hemleys are off on a 4 month holiday.

I must add, it is pretty stressful organising a 4 month holiday.

The itinery will be:

July:
Spain - doing the Camino de Norte, North Spain. Please see the link for what this camino walking is all about.

August:
Norway - to visit my dearest friends, Karen, Tian and their new baby girl, Kirsten-Anne. They have a cottage in the woods, where we hope to relax and unwind from our walking tour.

England
London - here we come. I have lived in London for two years. So this part will be a combination of visiting friends, visiting sites, doing the usual London thing.

September:
Italy - well we haven't decided too much yet on what is going to happen in Italy. Tracey wants to do a pilgrim walk to Rome, plus loads of other medival walks. We plan to do the Cincre Terre 3 day walk with our dear friends, Jono and Tania

Kenya - a bit of last minute surprise. We get multiple stops on our flight for free. So I've why not go to Kenya? See Mt Kilomanjaro and get to experience another country in Africa.

October:
South Africa - time for Rod to meet the relos. First down to Durban. From there, we'll take about a week out to do some walking in the Drakensburg, South Africa's highest mountain range. Then down to beautiful Cape Town. We are planning a party in Cape Town to celebrate our wedding with family & friends who couldn't be with us in Australia.